This application claims the priority of Application No. 2000-196950, filed Jun. 29, 2000 in Japan, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a granular absorbent material for use in the treatment of excrements of house pet animals.
As an article for collecting excrements of house pet animals (mainly house cats), there has been used a plastic box in which a granule absorbent material (i.e., a cat litter) capable of absorbing excrements of pets, such as sand and bentonite, is provided. When absorbs urine from a pet (e.g., a cat), such a granule absorbent material clumps so that the urine-absorbing granules are closely contact with each other. Only the clumps of the absorbent material resulting from the urine-absorption are then removed and wasted from the box.
However, a pet owner cannot always remove the clumped absorbent material immediately after his pet defects or urinates. As a result, a problem of producing obnoxious odors from the urine or the like retained in the absorbent material remaining in the litter box may occur.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an absorbent material for pet animals which can absorb pet urine quickly and eliminate the odors generated from the urine.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an absorbent material for pet animals which has an improved urine-absorbing efficiency.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, an absorbent material for house pet animals, includes pulp fibers containing a natural or synthetic polymer and formed in a granular shape; and a solution of an amphoteric polymer having an acidic pH. The solution is added to the pulp fibers.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, an absorbent material for house pet animals, includes a core which is made of pulp fibers containing a natural or synthetic polymer and is formed in a granular shape; a covering layer which is coated onto an outer surface of the core; and a solution added to the core, in which the solution is of an amphoteric polymer having an acidic pH.